Wrench having slidable side jaw actuated by pivoted handle



March i8, 1952 MlNToN WRENCH HAVING SLIDABLE SIDE JAW ACTUATED BY PIVOTED HANDLE Filed July 24, 1950 D 9 Fig.3"

Inventor Jo/m Min/on Patented Mar. 18,1952

T OFFICE WRENCH HAVING SLIDABLE SIDE JAW ACTUATED BY PIVOTED HANDLE John Minton, Baton Rouge, La., assignor of fifty per cent to Kenneth V. Minton, Baton Rouge,

Application July 24, 1950, Serial N 0. 175,521

l a This invention relates to the class of tools, and more particularly to a wrench having means for adjustably mounting the jaws thereof in spaced relation to each other.

An object of this invention resides in the novel means for readily and easily positioning the spaced jaws of a wrench in proper position for engagement about a nut or other member of the work piece, which means includes other means locking the jaw members in the determined relationship.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of novel spring means for causing the engagement between one of the jaw members and a pivotally mounted handle lever so as to lock the jaw member in relative spaced relationship to the other jaw member of a wrench.

Still further objects of the invention reside in the provision of a wrench that is strong, durable, highly eflicient in operation, simple in construction and manufacture, capable of being used to exert a great amount of force on the object worked on, and which device will be relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These, together with the various ancillary objects of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this wrench, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated, by way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the wrench comprising the present invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view as taken along the plane of line 2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view as taken along the plane of line 3-3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the jaw members of the present invention.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate similar or identical parts throughout the various views, the reference numeral I is used to generally designate the wrench comprising the present invention which includes a lower handle lever [2 to which there is integrally attached an upper jaw member l4. The upper jaw member M has a scale, as indicated at I6, formed thereon and is provided with an aperture I8 for reception of a threaded pin or screw 20 for locking engagement within the groove 22 formed in the lower jaw member 24. The screw 20 permits the jaw member 24 to have but one degree of freedom of movement relative to the upper jaw member [4.

Mounted to engage with the teeth 26 formed 3 Claims. 01. 815-86) on the lower jaw member 24 is an upper handle lever 28 which has an arcuate tooth surface, as

indicated at 30.

Obviously, the upper handle member 28 extends through the aperture 32 formed in the upper jaw member 14. Further, the slide 34 of the lower jaw member 24 is provided with a thickened portion, as indicated at 36, which is slidingly received within a similarly shaped groove in the upper jaw member l4.

Pivotally attached by means of members 38 and 40 to the upper and lower handle levers is,

a saddle member 42 having side walls 44 and 46, a bottom wall 48 and a spacer 50. The spacer 50 is received between the upper and lower handle members 28 and I2, respectively. Extending upwardly from the lower handle lever I2 is a lug 52 to which a spring 54 is attached, which spring biases the lug 52 and the saddle member 50. Thus, the upper handle lever 28 is continuously urged into engagement with the tooth portions 26 of the lower jaw member.

In operation, the upper handle member 28 is withdrawn against the force of the spring 54 and disengaged from the teeth 26 of the lower jaw member. Then, using the indicia marker 56 on the lower jaw member 24, an opening between the jaws l4 and 24 corresponding to the desired size of the nut or other object to be worked on is made and then the upper handle lever 28 is released in order that the toothed portion 30 may intermesh with the teeth 26.

Since, from the foregoing, the construction and advantages of this wrench are readily apparent, further description is believed to be unnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the invention to the precise embodiment shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be readily resorted to which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An adjustable wrench comprising a lower handle lever having an upper jaw member attached thereto, a lower jaw member having a groove therein, means carried by said upper jaw slidingly lockingly engaging said lower jaw member within said groove, an upper handle lever selectively engaging said'lower jaw member, and

a linking member pivotally attached to said upper and lower handles.

2. An adjustable wrench comprising a lower handle lever having an upper jaw member attached thereto, a lower jaw member having a groove therein, means carried by said upper jaw slidingly-;lockingly engaging saidlower jaw mem- V ber within,,;saidygroove,- an uppenhangile lever selectively engaging said lower jaw member, and

a linking member pivotally attached to said upper--=- and lower handles, said upper handle lever being continuously resiliently urgedqinto engagement with said lower jaw member -byspring means biasing said linking membenqand 'arlug secured to said lower handle..;lever ;said1,upper jaw member having an opening the'rethrough,

said upper handle lever extending, through said.

opening.

3. An adjustable wrench comprising afae lqwer; v

20 Number handle lever having an.,-;upper jaw member attached her r a; loweraw member: r havinaa r'oovethere n,smeansafnied .ibvsaidnpper jaw sliding'ly lockingly engaging saidlqwerv jawmem: her within said groove, an upp'er handle lever member having an opening therethrough, said upper handle lever extending through said open- JOHN MINTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following -;references are of record in the filefof this. patent! UNITED STATES PATENTS Date 439 011, 0. .-2.. .L 189 833 143L654 1,862,817"

Max, 2.1 .Jun 1a,, $33.2 

